Saskia Peach

Wicker Man will not only be the park’s first wooden rollercoaster but also the first wooden rollercoaster to open in the United Kingdom in 21 years, the last being Megafobia of Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire. Costing £16 million, and taking four years to develop, the ride is planned to be opened to the public in spring of 2018.

Th new ride is built around a 17-meter-tall Wicker Man structure, the equivalent of a six-storey building. The 2,028 foot long wooden track weaves in and out of the colossal structure, taking passengers on an thrilling race around the Wicker Man more than three times. To add to the intensity, the statue appears to burst into flames each time the carriages will pass through.

Bradley Wynne, Creative Lead at Alton Towers Resort commented: “We are delighted to finally be announcing Wicker Man as the latest ground-breaking thrill attraction from Alton Towers Resort for 2018. Guests will be ‘chosen’ to take part in a celebratory ‘rite of passage’ as they race through the flaming Wicker Man. “We hope visitors will be blown away by Wicker Man’s breath-taking scale whilst the primal essence of the wooden coaster and astonishing effects will leave them delighted, exhilarated and eager to ride again.”

The construction is being led by Great Coasters International, the leading creators of wooden coasters, but by the time of opening, around 1000 individuals will have played a part in the creation of the ride. Safety has, of course, been of great concern to everyone involved, therefore the each ride operator will have received at least 100 hours of training before the ride opens and the coaster itself will have undergone thorough testing.